Looking for the best boxed mac and cheese? Here are some picks for healthy store bought mac and cheese from a Registered Dietitian. Plus a kids taste test!
*Originally published August 2022. Updated September 2025*
These are some options for the best boxed mac and cheese options that can be found in most grocery stores. They are budget-friendly and busy moms can pair with fruits and vegetables for a quick meal.
Hi friends!
We are continuing our “Best of” series by talking about macaroni and cheese. So far, we’ve covered snacks from certain stores like:
- Healthy Amazon Snacks
- Best Trader Joe’s Snacks
- Best Healthy Walmart Snacks
- Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family
- Best ALDI Healthy Snacks
- Best Healthy Snacks at Target
We’ve also talked about specific types of snacks like:
- Best Healthy Gluten-Free Snacks
- High Protein Snack Ideas
- Healthy Fruit Snacks
- Healthy Store-Bought Tortillas
- Best Frozen Waffles
- Healthy Crackers for Kids and Adults
- Best Low-Sugar Yogurts
- Lower Sugar Cereal For Kids
- Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids
- Individually Wrapped Snack Ideas
- Peanut & Tree Nut Free Packaged Snacks
So be sure to catch up on those posts if you missed them!
Best mac and cheese in a box
When it comes to boxed mac and cheese, my biggest concern is sodium. Some brands, especially the deluxe versions, have 1,000+ mg of sodium per serving, which is way more than necessary. While I don’t recommend packaged mac and cheese as an everyday food, it’s certainly something my kids have for dinner occasionally.
When I’m picking out which brand to buy, I look for the lowest sodium per serving that I can find, and I’d also love for there to be a decent amount of both protein and fiber.
The problem is that some of the brands that are higher in both protein and fiber are not always a hit with my kids.
Why You’ll Love This List of the Best Mac & Cheese
- I compare the nutritional value of several brands
- All of these choices are affordable and available
- Kid-tested – I let my kids taste all of these and provide their honest review
- I’m a Registered Dietitian and I’m telling you it’s ok to serve boxed mac and cheese as a busy mom
Mac and Cheese Kids’ Review
So after looking at a lot of mac and cheese boxes, I decided to do a taste test with my kids (Their ages at the time of the taste test: 7, 5 & 3) to see which ones they would actually eat.
I chose two classics: Kraft and Annie’s Original. I also chose two that were higher in fiber & protein: Banza and Goodle. Then I threw in an Annie’s Vegan option and Annie’s 25% reduced-sodium. Here’s the video of their taste test:
Best Healthy Boxed Mac and Cheese
Let’s look at these six options I chose for the taste test in a little more detail. Note- I’m sure there are other great options. I tried to stick to brands that were widely available in the two grocery stores by my house, not specialty stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s etc.
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
- 9 grams of protein
- 2 grams of fiber
- 560 mg sodium
- Kids liked it
Banza Mac & Cheese (Made w/ chickpea pasta)
- 15 grams protein
- 5 grams fiber
- 640 mg sodium
- Kids didn’t like it
Goodles (found at Target)
- 14 grams protein
- 6 grams fiber
- 590 mg sodium
- Kids didn’t like it
Annie’s Vegan Mac (Red Lentil Spirals)
- 11 grams protein
- 3 grams fiber
- 240 mg sodium
- Kids didn’t like it
Annie’s 25% Less Sodium
- 10 grams protein
- 2 grams fiber
- 400 mg sodium
- Kids liked it
Annie’s Original Macaroni & Classic Cheddar
- 9 grams protein
- 3 grams fiber
- 430 mg sodium
- Kids liked it
Mom tip – Don’t be fooled by the marketing like I was! I thought the Annie’s 25% less sodium meant 25% less than their original but it actually says 25% less than the leading brand and it only has 30mg less than the original Annies!
What is the best boxed mac and cheese brand?
Of course this will vary based on personal preference. To choose which is best for your family, pick a few things that are most important to you and focus on those – protein? fiber? sodium level? taste?
Which boxed mac and cheese is best for kids?
As a Registered Dietitian, these are my top picks to serve to my kids:
- Annie’s
- Banza
- Goodles
I found Annie’s to be the lowest in sodium and my kids like it. Both Banza and Goodles are higher in protein and fiber, but also higher in sodium…and my kids didn’t like them.
Mom tip – I love that Banza and Goodle are higher in both protein and fiber. Despite them also being higher in sodium, I still think they’re good options if your kids will eat them! I have heard from lot of people who really like Goodles specifically so I would try that one first.
Since this original post, they have also launched Annie’s Super! Mac, which is higher and protein and fiber. It’s also a bit higher in sodium but my kids love it.
Does boxed mac and cheese go bad?
Since it’s a shelf-stable food, it will generally last for several years. Remember that the expiration date is speaking to the quality, not the safety so in general it’s fine to eat it 1-2 years past the expiration date. It’s likely the packets of cheese that will go bad before the noodles.
How to make boxed mac and cheese better?
What’s the healthiest boxed mac and cheese option?
- Choose one with 500mg sodium or less per serving
- Try not using the whole packet of cheese
- Mix in Greek yogurt instead of butter for extra protein
- Look for whole wheat, whole grain or alternative noodle options for more fiber
Boxed mac and cheese food prep ideas:
Mac and cheese reheats well so it can be a great option for food prep. Try prepping a batch and using during the week:
- Reheat and mix in some leftover taco meat or chicken
- Stir in a bag of steamed vegetables and serve as a side dish with a lean protein. Broccoli and peas are often a great choice!
- Turn into Macaroni and Cheese Mufffins
- Food prep some pulled pork as well and pair with a salad for a quick and easy dinner!
Boxed Mac and Cheese Hacks
- To make it creamier, try using Greek yogurt. You can either add it right along with the milk instead of butter, or you can skip the milk and try just adding Greek yogurt. Adding less milk also makes it thicker and creamier.
- To turn it into a full meal, try adding leftover cooked chicken or some chicken sausage. You can also add cooked vegetables. One easy hack is to add some frozen peas to the water for the last few minutes of cooking the noodles.
- For a different cheese flavor, try using half the packet of cheese and mixing in some shredded cheese of your own.
- Try putting your own spin on it! Want pizza mac? Grab some white cheddar boxed mac, put it in a pan, top with a little pizza sauce, pepperoni and shredded mozzarella and broil for a couple minutes.
- Add some spices. Try mixing in a little garlic powder or paprika when you add the cheese.
Boxed Mac & Cheese Baked
Mom tip – Want to fool a crowd? Make boxed mac and cheese as directed, add any mix-ins you want, then put it in a baking pan, top with some extra shredded cheese and breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees Faherenheit for 10-15 minutes until the cheese on top is melted.
How To Make Mac & Cheese From A Box
If you’ve never made boxed mac and cheese, you can follow the directions on the box, which involves boiling water, adding the noodles and then draining them before adding cheese milk and sometimes butter.
Recently I’ve started making it a different way that involves adding the cheese, butter and noodles right at the very beginning before you even boil the water and I think it turns out much better. You can find directions for the TikTok Mac and Cheese Recipe here.
Boxed Mac and Cheese in the Microwave
While I haven’t tried this myself beyond eating the Kraft microwavable cups in college, here are directions for how to make boxed mac and cheese in the microwave. The microwave gets the water hot enough to boil so it can cook the noodles, you just have to remember to stir frequently and there won’t be water to drain out at the end.
Instant Pot Box Mac and Cheese
If you have an instant pot, you can also use that to cook a box of mac and cheese. Add one cup water to the instant pot with butter and pasta. Cook 4 minutes, quick release and stir in cheese and milk. Here’s a whole post about how to cook instant pot box mac and cheese.
Can you make boxed mac and cheese without milk?
If you don’t have or don’t want to use milk, try saving 1/4 cup of the water you cooked the pasta in. You can also mix in cream, plain Greek yogurt or even cream cheese or sour cream instead of milk.
How to make box mac and cheese with ground beef?
This is a great way to use up leftover ground beef or turkey, taco meat, etc. Just cook the beef and stir it into the macaroni once you’ve mixed in the milk and cheese. Try adding a little taco seasoning for taco mac or just salt and pepper for some cheesy hamburger mac.
Boxed Mac and Cheese FAQs
Are there gluten-free mac and cheese brands?
Yes! Over the past few years, more and more brands have come out with gluten-free noodle options, made from things like brown rice, chickpeas and lentils and this has also increased the number of gluten-free mac and cheese options. Check out this post for some of the best gluten-free mac and cheese.
Which boxed mac and cheese has the most protein?
There are several brands out there with a decent amount of protein. Muscle Mac has 20g per serving. Banza has 16g per serving. Goodles has 14g per serving. And Annie’s SuperMac has 16g per serving.
What’s the best vegan boxed mac and cheese?
I’ve only tried one of the vegan options but there are plenty out there. Here are some of the Best Boxed Vegan Mac and Cheese options.
Can I add vegetables or protein to boxed mac and cheese?
Absolutely – it’s a great vehicle for transforming leftover chicken, steak or other protein into a new meal and an easy way to add vegetables would be to mix in some steamed or roasted vegetables at the end, or drop some frozen vegetables into the water for the last few minutes of cooking the noodles.
You can also mix in pureed vegetables like pumpkin or stir in some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
Can you make boxed mac and cheese with non-dairy milk?
Yes. You can replace cow’s milk with a milk alternative like soy milk, almond milk, etc.
How do I make boxed mac and cheese taste better?
A few ways to amp up the taste of boxed mac and cheese include adding additional seasonings – paprika, cayenne pepper, etc. You can also mix in some freshly grated cheese. Many people say not to skip the butter because it really helps with the flavor and also not to add too much milk.
Are there low-sodium boxed mac and cheese options?
Annie’s has a lower-sodium variety. It comes in a red box.
Which boxed mac and cheese option reheats best?
Most boxed mac and cheese varieties will become less creamy once they have been cooled and are then reheated. Often adding a splash of milk after reheating can help restore some of the creaminess.
Best Mac and Cheese From A Box
These are some of the best choices for boxed mac and cheese. They’re widely available, affordable and great for a quick, easy dinner.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay—
